CIssy Jones Crawford July 6, 2013 09:14:39 (EDT)

On a recent driving trip I was surfing the web and looked up Minne Wonka. I had no idea there was this wonderful website. I, too, have so many special childhood memories. Loved seeing messages from old friends; Ann Wham, Debbie Dick, Timmy, Holly Wachs. Good memories for me- running to the bulletin board to see if you were posted for a canoe trip, Susan (tall from Texas) and her "suave rating" (never really knew what that meant!), s'mores (ate too many of those), singing in the dining room while the "jumpers" cleared the tables, crossing our fingers that we didn't get demerits for a messy cabin etc.
hi to all! Cissy

Eliza Jones Henderson October 2, 2012 13:36:41 (EDT)

Hi Ellen,

I was just perusing the Minne Wonka site on google for the first time and found your posting and that of Laura Justiss. Wasn't that a fascinating time ? The summers I spent there in the 50's and 60's were truly some of the most memorable of my life. I wish we could go back there and do it all again. Hugs, Liza

Kristene bachmann September 13, 2012 01:05:02 (EDT)

Does anyone remember me? I remember a lot of you, believe it or not!

Ellen Bayley Campbell September 5, 2012 18:57:49 (EDT)

I went to Minne Wonka the summers of 1967 and 1968. What a wonderful place. What ever happened to it?Please add me to the mailing list.
Best,

Ellen

Shari Wolf August 19, 2012 19:31:34 (EDT)

I went to camp summers of '74 '75 '76. Please add me to your mail call list.

Thanks

Shari

neighbor August 14, 2012 16:14:22 (EDT)

The old boat house burned down Sunday night.
http://www.wjfw.com/stories.html?sku=20120813183410

Wendy Faust August 13, 2012 15:45:40 (EDT)

Wanted to pass along that the original boathouse of Minne Wonka Lodge just burnt down on Sunday. A neighbor was injured w/burns who was helping owner try to start an old wooden Chris Craft boat in the boathouse. It blew up and the entire boathouse was lost.

Eugenie(Gigi)Armstrong Lynch March 16, 2012 17:54:11 (EDT)

I attended Minne Wonka Summer Camp. Many of us were from St.Louis. I'm figuring 1968-1970. No doubt one of my best memories I have of my childhood. Love, loved horseback riding. Sunday services. Chapel in the Woods(?)We sang "Morning has Broken".

I so remember: movie night- "The Trouble With Angels" one year. I loved canoeing,archery,arts and crafts, WATER SKIING! Wow! the happiest of times!

Oh! Never forget the wonderful sweaters that made a home for all of our merits!

I would give a year to be able to spend one more six week Summer Camp as a 6 yr old at Minne Wonka.

I can smell the pine now. Remember that Grand hill we would race our horses up?

Gigi Armstrong Lynch (John Lynch)
Eugenie

Roberta Potter February 14, 2012 18:07:44 (EDT)

I was at Minne Wonka Lodge when i was in sixth grade. I won like all these prizes for archery and was in Balsam Bunk Cabin.

Davi Richards November 12, 2011 19:13:09 (EDT)

I saw a message from Mutzie Harms Weir written on this site in 2009 - I was at Minnewonka with you in the early 50's. I tried to email you from this site, but it seems to use only Outlook. I'm at davirichards@hotmail.com. If you see this, let me hear from you.

Debby Baddeley Ehret October 9, 2011 11:04:32 (EDT)

Jane O'Neil Fleming told me to get on board and here I am.....right back where I have always been. I love the photo's and have so many more I could share. I continue to sing the songs to my kids all the time even now when they are grown up. I loved Minne Wonka Lodge and everything I learned there. What a gift and blessing it was to spend so much time there as a young girl. I was there in the middle to late 70's and remember everything. The canoes trips, the bug juice, the candlelight ceremonies and the swims before breakfast. Seems like yesterday. Miss these years.
Going to facebook now to be a friend. Keep in touch anyone who remembers me. I think of you guys all the time.

nancy brucato September 20, 2011 16:22:17 (EDT)

Hey Bruce I remember one time our team won a canoeing race...it must have been one of those game days....what were they called? Check your e mail

Bruce R. Maier September 3, 2011 20:14:24 (EDT)

To Nancy Brucato.....check you email...I remember you and at least 4 trips together well. Wave back... and yes, you really WERE a fine canoeist. *hug*

Bruce Maier August 20, 2011 14:45:46 (EDT)

Bruce,

Just read your email.

It brought back so many memories of wonderful times.

Timmy

Martha Record McKinstry July 28, 2011 17:14:21 (EDT)

OMG had no idea this site existed until I got on my sister's (Mary Record Marshall) facebook page. I paged through all the messages and found some from the years when I was there. It was during the Lyon's time and I so loved my memories of the camp although I was quite homesick at first. I was the second of three Record girls from Decatur and I too remember riding the train from Springfield and the pullman cars. Ohhhhhhhh so many memories. Hi to Debbie Dick and Holly from Windsong.

Barbara McFarland July 24, 2011 21:08:57 (EDT)

Went to MWL with many family members, Schnerings. Sitting here drinking wine with my sister and found this site. This would have been the mid 1950 s. How the he'll have we gotten so old?

Kendra McConnell Hurd July 4, 2011 22:59:58 (EDT)

I MISS CAMP!
I miss that stage of my life.
I want it back-now! :)

Carol Koerner Redhead June 4, 2011 14:20:17 (EDT)

Camp Minne Wonka will stay in my heart forever. In 1957 or '58, my mother, Virginia Koerner, and my sister, Nancy, and I all travelled from California to spend the summer at this wonderful camp. My mother was the dietician, my sister was about 10, and I was 16. In the cafeteria at lunch, or out on the lake with all girls in canoes as the sun slowly slid down over the water, do you remember Hartzel leading the singing ("My paddle's keen and bright, flashing like silver, follow the wild bird's flight, dip, dip, and swing") as all the girls in harmony followed with the chorus? I remember the three day sailboat trip thru lakes, and a three day canoe camping trip through lakes, also. And the week-long horseback trip into the north woods, camping there. Remember the horses Pig (who threw me)and Judy (who could single-foot). For my own children, I tell them that if you work really hard and do your very best at something, you may be surprised at the rewards, as I was when I won so many unexpected awards qualifying for sailing canoeing, etc. I am so happy to have found this web site, and to read so many happy memories. Carol

Tracy Edwards Murtagh May 27, 2011 16:33:12 (EDT)

Don't know if any of you former Minne Wonka girls/guys read this board currently or not, but I would love to hear from any of you who remember me. I was both a camper 75-79 and a counsellor 1983, and would love to get back in touch with any who would care to write. I still have my (stolen) MWL songbook and try to teach/sing as many of the songs to my 11yr. old son as he can stand. We sing them on hikes to keep the bears away!